The instant invention relates to activity toys for young children and more particularly to an activity toy comprising an activity board member and a pair of support members which are operative for supporting the activity board member in a variety of different angular dispositions on a supporting surface.
Activity boards and related apparatus have generally been found to be effective for capturing the attention of young children for extended periods of time. In this regard, activity boards generally comprise a basic board structure having a plurality of movable activity components mounted thereon which are adapted for operating with various interesting action movements. For example, activity components such as rotatable wheels, rollers, etc., depressible noisemaker elements, and movable ball elements have previously been incorporated in activity board structures. However, most of the heretofore known activity board assemblies have been permanently mounted on supporting structures, and hence, they have not been adapted to be positioned in various different angular orientations on supporting surfaces. As a result, in many cases they have not been convenient to operate or adapted for use by young children of different sizes and ages.
The instant invention provides a highly effective activity toy comprising an activity board member and a pair of support frame members which are operative for mounting the activity board member in a variety of different angular dispositions, including one in which the activity board member is inverted so that an easel surface thereof is located in an operative position for use by a young child. More specifically, the activity toy of the instant invention comprises an activity board member having spaced opposite first and second faces and spaced opposite first and second side edges, first and second substantially coaxial mounting shafts extending outwardly from the first and second side edges, respectively, and first and second support frame members for supporting the activity board member in upwardly spaced relation to a supporting surface. Each of the support frame members has spaced first and second mounting apertures therein which are adapted for removably receiving the mounting shafts therein, and the activity toy further comprises orienting means for orienting the activity board member in a first angular disposition when the mounting shafts are received in the first apertures in the support frame members and for orienting the activity board member in a different second angular disposition when the mounting shafts are received in the second apertures in the support frame members. The orienting means is preferably also operative for orienting the activity board member in an inverted disposition in which the activity board member is inverted relative to the second disposition when the mounting shafts are received in the second apertures. The first and second support frame members preferably also each have a third aperture therein, and the orienting means is preferably operative for orienting the activity board member in a different third angular disposition when the mounting shafts are received in the third apertures. Still further, the orienting means is preferably constructed so that it is alternatively operative for supporting the activity board member in different fourth and fifth angular dispositions which are different from the first, second and third dispositions when the mounting shafts are received in the first apertures. The orienting means preferably comprises a key member on each of the mounting shafts and at least one key slot extending from each of the mounting apertures, and the key members are dimensioned to be received in the different key slots for orienting the board member in different angular dispositions on the support frame members. The activity board member preferably has a plurality of activity elements on the first face thereof, and it preferably has a drawing table surface on the second face thereof, and the activity board member preferably includes an easel clip adjacent to the drawing table surface on the second face thereof for securing a sheet of paper on the drawing table surface. The mounting shafts preferably comprise threaded terminal end portions, and the activity toy preferably further comprises first and second threaded nuts which are receivable in threaded engagement on the threaded terminal end portions. The activity toy preferably still further comprises detent means which are operative between the threaded nuts and the support members for releasably locking the positions of the nuts on the shafts.
It has been found that the activity toy of the instant invention has a relatively high level of appeal as a result of its adjustability to accommodate the needs and desires of various young children. Specifically, it has been found that because the activity toy of the instant invention is adapted for positioning the activity board member so that the first face thereof, which has the activity elements thereon, is in one of several different upwardly facing angular dispositions or so that the second face thereof, which has the drawing table surface thereon, is in one of several different upwardly facing dispositions, the activity toy of the instant invention is highly versatile and readily adapted to meet the needs of various children. Hence, the activity toy of the instant invention has significant advantages over the less versatile heretofore available activity products.
Accordingly, it a primary object of the instant invention to provide an activity toy comprising an activity board member which is adapted to be positioned in a variety of different angular dispositions.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide an activity toy comprising an activity board member having a pair of outwardly extending mounting shafts thereon and a pair of mounting frames having mounting apertures therein which are adapted for receiving the mounting shafts in order to position the activity board member in a variety of different predetermined angular positions.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide an activity toy comprising an activity board member having a plurality of activity elements on one surface thereof, and having a drawing table surface on an opposite second surface thereof wherein the activity board member is alternatively positionable in a variety of predetermined angular dispositions.
An even still further object of the instant invention is to provide an activity toy comprising an activity board member having keyed mounting shafts thereon which are receivable in apertures in support frame members for positioning the activity board member in a variety of different predetermined angular dispositions.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.